Wellesley High girls hoop wins state title

The Raiders took charge in the second half to beat Millbury 65-44 in Worcester Saturday for their first ever Division 2 title. The team, sporting its trophies, made a surprise appearance later in the day at the St. Paul CYO basketball banquet at Wellesley High.

Here's more on coach Kristin Cieri. 

 

 

 

 

Keeping an eye on the fish

UPDATED March 25/2008: A small environmental consulting company in Newton Lower Falls asked for, and received the Wellesley NRC's support in requesting from the Mass DCR permission to put a web cam  near the fish ladder. The process is still in early stages, as DCR permission needs to be sought.

Listed on the Natural Resources Commission meeting agenda earlier this week: a proposal to install a Web cam near the fish ladder on the Charles River at the Wellesley/Newton border. Alewife herring are said to be most common, with eels and shad also known to make cameo appearances. May is typically the best month for spying fish there, Wellesley officials say.

Here's a YouTube video (from Gregg Smith of SaveCapeAnn.com) of the place we're talking about. If you look very closely, you might be able to see a few renegade sharks sneaking up the ladder.

 

In Memory of....

Did you know....the town welcomes donations of trees, benches and other memorials commemorating a person or event, but you do need to follow some steps, which are laid out here under park and conservation land memorial rules.  Our favorite: "So that the town's parks do not take on the appearance of cemeteries, memorial plaques may no longer be used except in exceptional circumstances and with the written consent of the Natural Resources Commission."

 

 

 

Summer job opening in Wellesley

 
**  GIS Intern  **

Location:         Town of Wellesley, Network & Information Systems Dept., GIS Office

Duration:          Summer 2008 (Mid-May to Late August)

Compensation:   $15.00 / hour 

Looking for an exciting opportunity to gain practical experience in state-of-the-art GIS applications? The Town of Wellesley, MA Network & Information Systems Dept. seeks a qualified individual for an internship in its GIS Office. Under the general direction of the GIS Manager and GIS Administrator, basic duties for this position will include:

*       Field data collection using Trimble GPS equipment.

*       Using CADD / survey data to create and edit various GIS datasets.

*       Map drafting / design and spatial analysis using ESRI software products.

More here.

 

 

 

Sweet Beads to host grand opening party

The celebration takes place at the new beading shop at 1 Crest Rd. on Weds, March 19 from 6-9pm.The Sweet Beads after hours party will feature refreshments and a special trunk show by local designer Susan Shahda. The business, which offers classes and birthday parties in addition to selling beads and bead creations, technically opened its doors in January.

 

 

 

Put a lid on it, hats off, etc.

A reader wrote to say: "I noticed the 'new' hat shop in Linden Square is gone." We confess we didn't and hadn't been by Head Games, the women's hat store that was named last year as one of the early tenants at Linden Square by Federal Realty. While Head Games hasn't responded to inquiries sent to its customer service inbox and developer Federal Realty hasn't replied, a town official says the shop's sign never came through for review. Head Games used to list on its Web site a shop in downtown Boston and promised one in Linden Square, but now only lists one in Newton Centre....which isn't too far.

If you're really hard up for a new hat:

 

 

In Memory of....

Did you know....the town welcomes donations of trees, benches and other memorials commemorating a person or event, but you do need to follow some steps, which are laid out here under park and conservation land memorial rules.  Our favorite: "So that the town's parks do not take on the appearance of cemeteries, memorial plaques may no longer be used except in exceptional circumstances and with the written consent of the Natural Resources Commission."

 

 

 

Summer job opening in Wellesley

 
**  GIS Intern  **

Location:         Town of Wellesley, Network & Information Systems Dept., GIS Office

Duration:          Summer 2008 (Mid-May to Late August)

Compensation:   $15.00 / hour 

Looking for an exciting opportunity to gain practical experience in state-of-the-art GIS applications? The Town of Wellesley, MA Network & Information Systems Dept. seeks a qualified individual for an internship in its GIS Office. Under the general direction of the GIS Manager and GIS Administrator, basic duties for this position will include:

*       Field data collection using Trimble GPS equipment.

*       Using CADD / survey data to create and edit various GIS datasets.

*       Map drafting / design and spatial analysis using ESRI software products.

More here.

 

 

 

Sweet Beads to host grand opening party

The celebration takes place at the new beading shop at 1 Crest Rd. on Weds, March 19 from 6-9pm.The Sweet Beads after hours party will feature refreshments and a special trunk show by local designer Susan Shahda. The business, which offers classes and birthday parties in addition to selling beads and bead creations, technically opened its doors in January.

 

 

 

Put a lid on it, hats off, etc.

A reader wrote to say: "I noticed the 'new' hat shop in Linden Square is gone." We confess we didn't and hadn't been by Head Games, the women's hat store that was named last year as one of the early tenants at Linden Square by Federal Realty. While Head Games hasn't responded to inquiries sent to its customer service inbox and developer Federal Realty hasn't replied, a town official says the shop's sign never came through for review. Head Games used to list on its Web site a shop in downtown Boston and promised one in Linden Square, but now only lists one in Newton Centre.

Don't despair if you really need a Wellesley-ish hat, you can find one here, among other places.

Spoon River Anthology coming to Wellesley College

From Wellesley College Theatre:

Wellesley College is proud to present Spoon River Anthology, adapted by Charles Aidman from the poems of Edgar Lee Masters.  Performed in the intimacy of the Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre, Nora Hussey will be the director and Eric Hamel, a Wellesley Summer Theatre company member,  provides the musical direction. The opening performance will be on Thursday, April 17th @ 7pm. 

Hailed in it's inaugural production in 1963 as "an evening of astonishing emotional satisfaction", this celebration of a small town in Southern Illinois  introduces an amazing array of characters.  From young lovers, preachers and teachers, to the poor Jewish man buried in the wrong cemetery, we see life and death in all its guises.  Both the sacred and profane sides of life and death are presented with fetching ballads and the free form verse of Masters.   To further illuminate the variety of Masters' characters this adaptation will be presented with a larger cast, drawing upon the talent of Wellesley, Babson and Olin Colleges as well as Boston-area actors. The scenic and lighting design will be created by resident designer, Ken Loewit, costume design by Nancy Stevenson.

 Spoon River Anthology performs Thursday, April 17th @ 7pm, Friday, April 18th @ 8pm,  Saturday, April 19th  @ 2 and 8pm, Sunday, April 20 @ 2pm, Thursday, April 24th @ 7pm, Friday, April 25th @ 8pm, Final Performances: Saturday, April 26th @ 2 and 8pm

Tickets are $12 General Admission; $10 seniors and students; free to the Wellesley Community; free to students with Wellesley, Babson, or  Olin I.D.  To purchase tickets call the Box Office @ 781.283.2000. The theatre is handicap accessible.  For disability services, contact Jim Wice @ 781.283.2434.

Paparazzi alert: Movie being filmed at Elm Bank

You might have seen the yellow signs on Rte. 16 in Wellesley featuring the mysterious acronym GGP. In Hollywood lingo, that means The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, which is the name of the surefire Oscar-winning romantic comedy starring Jennifer Garner/Michael Douglas/Matthew McConaughey that we had the scoop on months ago. A steady stream of cars and trucks clogged up Elm Bank Reservation in the wee hours Wednesday a.m.

 

Wellesley girls hoop team moves closer to state title

Wellesley High School's Mary Louise Dixon took charge down the stretch to help Wellesley High School hold off Lincoln-Sudbury 38-32 in the Eastern Mass. Division 2 title game at the Garden in Boston. Next up: Millbury or Palmer in Worcester on Saturday in the state championship game.

 

 

Rep. Peisch: Attaboy! Attagirl!

Wellesley state Rep. Alice Hanlon Peisch earned the distinction last year, according to this Lowell Sun article, of having the most resolutions passed in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.  Peisch scored 31 resolutions, according to the article, which includes a link to the big list containing lots of congratulations for Boy and Girl Scouts, recognitions for retiring or departing educators, etc. The next closest resolution passer was David Linsky of Natick, with 21, according to Sun. The story says 4 out of 5 measures passed by the House and Senate last year fell into the resolutions category, spurring some to call for a better use of the legislators' time. Others see the resolutions for what they are: a harmless enough pat on the back that makes honored constituents and friends/family feel good.

Warm thoughts: Summer concert schedule released

The summer concert series at the Wellesley Town Hall Green kicks off June 18 and runs through Aug. 7, with all but the last concert being on a Wednesday from 7-8:30pm (the finale is on a Thursday). Featured performers include the Tom Nutile Big Band, Help! (Beatles music) and the Glamour Girls. Full schedule here.

Wellesley kids: New book offers idea on how to spend your allowance

Wellesleyite Katie Smith Milway has published a book called One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference that fills kids in on the wonders of microlending, the concept that making even a tiny loan can mean big changes for people in very poor parts of the world. This book, which concentrates on what happens when a boy in Ghana secures a microloan to buy a hen, gets written up in the Boston Globe and profiled on NPR's All Things Considered. A companion Web site provides additional info on microfinancing. Milway is a publishing official at Bain & Co.

 

 

 

The power of positive thinking on students

Longtime Wellesley resident and strategic consulting veteran Christine Duvivier last year earned a Master's Degree in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and focused her research on the strengths and gifts of teens who are not top students based on grades/ranking. She spoke last fall at Wellesley High about her research and plans to speak again this spring at a time and place to be determined. We caught up with Duvivier by email to ask about her efforts.

    We can point readers to your research (Parent presentation; Duvivier's paper from UPenn), but in a nutshell, what's your message?
   Americans label what is wrong with students not in the top 20% of class, e.g., learning disabilities or lack of motivation, and we spend a great deal of time and money ($3.5 billion tutoring/test industry) trying to "fix" teens.  Instead of asking, "What's wrong with these kids?"  I asked, "What's right with them?"

    The surprising results: many things are right with these students ...what's wrong is the way we view and structure education. And it isn't just a problem for The Bottom 80^TM-- top students are hurt too.

     I concluded that we will increase the happiness of parents, teachers and all students by appreciating beauty in the bottom 80%.  To do so, requires refuting three myths of education:

    Myth #1:  Not being a "top student" means not: intelligent, hardworking or gifted. The Bottom 80 includes motivated, brilliant and gifted children perfectly-suited to world leadership and economic growth.

    Myth #2:  Being a "top student" leads to a great life. "Best Grades" are not the "best" route to life satisfaction.

    Myth #3: Our approach to education is good for adolescents. Our approach leads to anxiety and depression.

 

    What do you find are some of the most underrated qualities in students in the "bottom 80%" and what are some of the most overrated in students in the upper 20?
    Most underrated in bottom: industriousness and self-motivation. Most overrated in top: focus on being "the best student"

 

    I confess when I first heard about this Positive Psychology effort I was thinking, this sure sounds touchy-feely. Do you get that reaction often and if so, how do you overcome that?
   Sometimes, yes.  But mostly I get, "wow, that sounds interesting!  What is it?"  I don't try to counteract what people feel about it-- if they feel it's too touchy-feely, that's fine.  I want to reach the people who want to know more-- and there are many, all over the world.

    Having said that, Positive Psychology is a scientifically-based discipline-- everything studied and taught in the UPenn program is based on highly-regarded research.  Some of Positive Psychology is focused on individual well-being, including cognitive, somatic, biological, philosophical and other disciplines.  Other aspects are focused on organizations-- what makes for the best performance, highest impact change, etc.

 

     You spoke at Wellesley High last fall. Has anything resulted from that in terms of follow-ups at the school etc.? What sort of feedback did you get?
    The feedback was incredible.  First of all, the leaders were astounded that 100 people showed up on a night when there were two conflicting meetings for high school parents: one regarding college (for parents of seniors).  They were also delighted that there was a good turnout of fathers, which isn't usually the case.   People told me the talk was very helpful and asked me to get out to speak to more parents, give workshops, coach, etc.  I had not planned on doing these things until after people asked me passionately.  Parents told me it made them feel much better, less anxious, and happier about their children.

    Some parents from WHS have also asked me to work with them as they consider changes they might want to make and as they work to engage the community in creating change.

 

    Many have cited the pressure on students around here to achieve at such high levels as a contributing factor to suicide and depression. Is part of your message an effort to address such issues?
     I am not an expert in suicide, so I do not speak to that.  However, I discovered that our approach to education -- as a society, from a systems viewpoint-- is a cause of depression and anxiety in teens.  I show parents the elements that come into play.  We have an epidemic of depression in this country, anxiety levels are very high, and studies show that 1 in 5 high school students will have a serious depressive episode.  My message for parents is: it doesn't have to be this way. 

    As for pressure to achieve: I think the issue is what type of pressure we are putting on what kind of achievement.  Encouraging kids to use their strengths and gifts in new ways, for challenges that stretch them, is a wonderful approach-- the problem that Mike Csikszentmihalyi (expert in "flow") found is that most teens are not engaged in using their strengths on appropriate challenges in school.  I found that there are many strengths and gifts, crucial to learning and succeeding in life, that our current approach doesn't capitalize upon. 

    In our current system, one of the few places teens are engaged at school is in sports and arts.  Sadly, these become so competitive at the high school level that only a small portion of the students can participate in the activities that would more fully engage them.

 

     Can you point to any examples where the Positive Psychology effort is catching on at the K-12 level?   
     In the U.S., the Wallingford-Swarthmore High School in Swarthmore, Penn. (at least as competitive, if not more so than WHS) has embedded some Positive Psychology lessons into its ninth grade curriculum, on an opt-in basis.  They have been running the program for three years and are studying the effects (the study is in-progress).  [Duvivier also cited efforts in Australia and the U.K.]

   Finally, there is a growing movement for bringing yoga and meditation into schools.

 

    Anything else worth noting?   
    Ned Hallowell and I are going to give a parent workshop in the fall (Ned is founder of the Hallowell Centers for Cognitive and Emotional Health, author of 14 books, and has appeared on 20/20, Oprah and 60 Minutes among others). 

    I gave a parent workshop in Wellesley, "Strengthening Teen Optimism" in November and will run it again this spring. In response to multiple requests for coaching, I am starting an interactive tele-conference for parents.

 

 

 

Would-be bank robbers in market for new disguises

A note on the door at the Wellesley Bank at 40 Central St. informs those entering that they need to first remove any hats, hoods and sunglasses, per order of the Wellesley police. The bank got robbed twice in February.

 

 

 

'Override moms' story stirs things up

The Boston Globe's recent story on "override moms" from Wellesley, Natick and elsewhere who aggressively campaign for higher taxes to support school programs apparently sparked quite a reaction, prompting a follow-up story today. Here's what one Wellesley resident had to say in the follow-up:

Some readers agreed that the women were going too far, including 78-year-old Patricia Waite Petrilli of Wellesley, a town that has passed six overrides since 2000.

"These are people with their oversize vans, oversize homes, and more bathrooms than children telling the rest of us to vote for another override," she wrote in an e-mail. "No one deserves the best if it is at the expense of others."

 

 

 

Wellesley High girls hoop team headed to state title game

The WHS girls basketball team defeated rival Walpole Saturday 48-44 to advance to the EMass title game vs. Lincoln-Sudbury at the TD Banknorth Garden on Tuesday. Wellesley hasn't had a tough road to the big game, needing to knock off the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds to get there.